We are living through extraordinary times at the moment.

The most important message that I want to give you right now is that we will get through this together. #togetherathome

I’m sending you my love and hoping you are staying safe, healthy and taking care of yourself and your family. I don't know about you but I'm experiencing what I'm calling "crazy brain". I wake up in the morning and can't remember what day of the week it is.

It’s weird out there right now. My heart goes out to my entire creative community during this difficult time. I hope you are safe and healthy and following all of the guidelines around taking care of yourself and your loved ones. It’s also critical for us to protect our broader communities by practicing physical distancing. Flattening the curve of the corona virus will get us through this pandemic more quickly and with fewer fatalities.

When you’re in the first few weeks of a new program, whether it’s an online course or a workshop or a class in school, you can frequently start to worry about falling behind.

This is a very natural reflex when you’re in a group environment where people are posting their work or sharing where they are in the program. Everyone is at a slightly different place and seeing that can lead to comparison which, as we talked about last week, is never a good place to be.

I hear this a lot, especially at the beginning of a new program, workshop or course. Students will say: “I think I made a mistake. Everyone here is already so far ahead of me…”

This can happen in any environment but particularly in a creative context when you’ve joined a program to learn something new and you realize some of your classmates appear to know everything already!

Truth be told, I’d never heard of it either. But we all actually know what it is. It’s any illustration, piece of artwork or repeating pattern that’s on a surface. And that surface can be pretty much anything: carpeting, upholstery, stationary, duvet covers, sheets, pillow shams, tea towels, wrapping paper, wall paper. The list goes on and on and on. This industry has been around forever and I’m sure you’ll recognize several of the people who’s work I highlight in this week’s blog. BTW - today, February 25 is the last day to enroll in Bonnie Christine’s Immersion course. Here’s my link in case you want to jump in before it’s too late.

My dear friend and fellow surface pattern designer, Bonnie Christine, has opened enrollment to her brilliant course: Surface Design Immersion. She only offers this course once a year. You don’t want to wait until 2021 to lean into your creativity and make progress towards your dream of putting your designs on fabric and other products. Let me tell you about the 5 incredible bonuses I’m offering this year if you purchase the program through my affiliate link.

I’m incredibly excited to introduce you to Emily Jeffords, mom of three, fine artist (her paintings are gorgeous!) and incredible business woman. I met Emily a few years ago and was immediately drawn into her beautiful paintings, her vibe and most of all her incredible brilliance as an entrepreneur.

If you’ve ever been curious about licensing your artwork or becoming a surface pattern designer, I have something super special for you. My dear friend and surface design colleague, Bonnie Christine, has a new FREE Masterclass. To celebrate her upcoming Surface Design Immersion course, she teaching an incredibly in-depth (and entirely FREE!) Masterclass called Crafting a Career You LOVE in Surface Design.

My ONE WORD for 2020 is Intention. I want to be very intentional about everything I do in my personal life, my creative practice and my business this year. One of the ways I want this to benefit you is by sharing key aspects of how I started down this new creative path after getting laid off, very unexpectedly, from my fancy corporate job.

Even at the start of the New Year, we can often feel that we’re already behind. You may be behind on your resolutions, or took too much time off and are behind on your work. Or maybe you took too little time off and are feeling tired. Or perhaps you worry that you need to do more on the home front with your children, grandchildren or parents.

Every morning, I leap out of bed because I have the best students! You are the most creative, fun, and supportive students I’ve ever met. I’m so grateful for all that you teach me and I’m delighted to celebrate all of you today. Here are three very special stories about invaluable lessons students in my Academy program taught me. While it was difficult to choose just three, these stories stood out.

A few years ago I discovered the world of surface pattern design and I’ve never looked back! As a creative person all of my life, I could not believe that this big wide world of surface pattern design existed. I worked in retail in a corporate job for 25 years and had never even heard a whisper about it, even though it is a very lucrative and fun field.

So many of us, myself included, sit down this week to make a list of resolutions for next year. But they don’t often stick. Am I right? We’re human. We think, “Hey this would be a great idea,” but the next minute we can’t even remember what that life-changing idea was. Everyone does it - I’m guilty too!

Creative people are happier and thrive when they create! Creating doesn’t always mean making art; it could be gardening, dancing, playing tennis, cooking or even party planning. As long as it allows you to express your inner vision, it’s a creative endeavor.

I’m excited to be back to share the next 5 steps in 10 Steps To Start Your Creative Business. Let’s jump in!

I’ve been asking a lot of questions recently in my creative community and it’s been fascinating to see your responses.

Here’s what you’re telling me:

·      You’re interested in starting a creative business, and

·      You’ve always dreamed of turning your designs into fabric

Those are the two most common themes that show up over and over again whenever I ask. So today, the most valuable thing I can do for you is to share the 10 steps required to get started down either of those paths.

My creative instincts get a festive jolt during the holiday season. All the extra sparkle and joy invites me to make more art, and I love it! My creative side craves new outlets and I often feel braver in venturing into something different. I am sure you can relate.

Creative people need to create, right? So I’m sharing with you my most favorite art courses that push me to be a better artist in the hope that these courses might interest you or that special creative person in your life. 

Want an easy way to spread holiday cheer? Want to do something really nice (and really simple) for someone special this season?

Spread joy with your art! Share your talent with your friends and family by giving personalized cards that make a real connection. It’s so important to take a break from the digital world and give the special people in your life a thoughtful, hand-made card to show how much you care. And I don’t just mean greeting cards. I’ve got ideas to share that include gift tags, menu cards and even place cards too.